The bad news

Wodaabe kids at Tebouk–waiting for the teacher to return

After two great visits to the schools where we pay the teachers and provide everything, we went to visit two schools we support which were built by the state. We have supported these schools with furniture, building repairs, medical chests, school lunches and student materials, but the state is required to supply the teachers. Unfortunately they are not carefully chosen, they do not want to live in the isolation of the bush and they go for a full week, usually more each month to Agadez in search of their salaries. There is no control so they get their salaries whether they work or not. The nomads cannot make the long trip to town, nor would they know how to complain. They are just grateful for whatever they can get. The students at Tedbouk school after almost four years barely know the alphabet or speak any French. By contrast after 1 1/2 years at Dole the students speak conversational French, sing songs in french, can add, can count to 100 in french and are starting to read. At Aboye they are conjugating sentences, doing complicated arithmetic and speak near fluent french.

At Imalole, sadly, since the teacher was gone in search of his salary there was no one to visit.
We left word that we will return in three weeks. We hope for good news from them.